How to Craft a KICKASS 60 seconds pitch, with just 6 steps!

Have a business idea? Great! So does every other person. But do you know something others may not have?

An awesome 60 seconds pitch.

Why 60 seconds?

Let's face it, at one point, you will walk into an elevator on the 100th floor of a building, and in walks a successful businessman and investor. Let's just say in this case, is Sir Richard Branson. Both your eyes met, and he smiles his million dollar smile. Let's make it billion dollars, to be exact. And he asks,

"So mate. What's happening?"

Elevator door closes. It will take about a minute to reach the lobby, and you're alone with perhaps one of the greatest entrepreneurs that ever lived, and he just asked you a question that could lead to you pitching him your idea. He ain't gonna go anywhere, which means he gotta listen. As a matter of fact, he wants to listen.

See, that's why having a 60 second elevator pitch is always a good idea. You just don't know when you're gonna share a lift ride with Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Mark Cuban or Tony Stark!

Ok, now that I got you hooked, let's see how you can put together a 60 second pitch that by the time you reach the lobby, Branson/Gates/Musk/Cuban/Stark is gonna pass you his secretary's number to make an appointment for a proper pitch.

Look, it may not be a Branson/Gates/Musk/Cuban/Stark, but you still need it to be 60 seconds long, because you and I know attention span is such a commodity these days. Heck, when you click on a YouTube video, and if it doesn't impress you in the first 20 seconds, you'll hit the back button. Damn, even if the video takes a few seconds longer to load, you would have switched over to Facebook!

Yup, that's the issue of the 21st century - short attention span. All the more you need to have your punchy pitch.

Oh yeah, one more thing. The tips I'm gotta share here to prepare you to be a naked presenter. Hold your trousers. When I say naked, I mean presenting without any devices, slides or equipment. Just you, your idea, and the audience. Again, back in the elevator with Sir Branson, you ain't gonna whip out your laptop and prays that it loads before you hit the lobby, right? Same goes when you're at a business network event, or even a club meeting. You just got to be ready to pitch anytime.

And yes, you could totally be in the sauna, and Sir Branson walks in too. :)

Ok Mav. You've convinced me about the 60 seconds. Can we just start now?

Thought you'd never ask. Let's hit it!

###1. Use a question to frame the problem you are trying to solve

Instead of just saying “the problem I’m trying to fix is [problem]”, sometimes a more engaging way to start is by using a question.

So for example, say your business idea is on a 21st century education platform, the start of the pitch by using a question will be:

“You know how some kids in rural areas have to walk for 2 hours just to get to school? Pass dense jungles and across dangerous rivers? Well, that’s the problem I’m fixing right now.”

A question is a great way to include your audience, to draw them in, and also to get them to open their minds. Best part, instead of spending 30 seconds on the problem, you’ve just done it under 8. :)

###2. Set the context of the problem early

Start with a big picture, so that your audience will be on the same page as you. They must be able to get what you’re talking about within the first 10 seconds, before they lose their attention asking themselves “What’s this person talking about again?”

At this stage, you may want to target specific audience segments as well, because let’s face it: you can’t please anyone. Use phrases like “If you are a [job title/background]…"

So for example, if you are pitching an app that enables working moms to order baby-safe meals at a click of a button, you'll go like,

"As a working mom, I'm sure you want to be productive at work, but at the same time, make sure your baby has all the nutrients she needs, right? Wait till you hear what I can do for you."

###3. Start off strong with statistics that prompts a “really?”

People hardly question statistics, and it appeals to our curious nature. Try to look for a one-liner statistic that can stimulate a “Wow, I didn’t know that” or “OMG! I didn’t know the issue was so serious!"

Here's an example for you:

"9 out of 10 consumers say that would pay more for superior customer service. And that's our USP, our magic pill, because over the past 3 years, we scored over 95% in our customer surveys."

###4. Establish your credibility

Rather than telling them who you are - forget words like motivated, dedicated and passionate because it means nothing, really - inform the audience what you have done. This is where you and your team’s track records will come in handy to answer the audience’s question at this point “who are these people, and why should I listen to them?"

Here’s a simple example to illustrate:

A: I am passionate about educating children on the importance of financial literacy.

B: Over the past three years, my team and I have conducted hundreds of financial literacy workshops for over 10,000 kids.

A, well, just tells them about your passion. B, on the other hand, really show them that you meant business and that you have the track record too.

###5. Don’t get into too much of the details

Many pitches fail because it gets too deep into the nitty-gritty. It’s just a one minute pitch, and the key is to get them interested to find out more. Think of a trailer for a movie that got you eagerly anticipating the opening date, and you get the picture.

So with one minute on the clock, give only the real strong punches - the key problem you are solving, the solution, some track record, your team's cred sheet, and all that's gotta finish with less than 10 seconds to spare, because you need to buffer time for the…

###6. The Ask

You can’t finish a pitch or presentation with telling the audience what you want from them. Be clear, and don’t ask for too many things. As a matter of fact, ask for only ONE thing!

However, if there are a few things you would like them to do, prioritize them by asking:

Is this one thing I need to ask, or can I do without?

What’s the sequence here?

Can I go with this first, and then follow-up with that?

Is this the right audience to be asking this?

There you have it. 60 seconds is a short time, but if you plan it right, it’s long enough to get someone to say YES, and that how lives are changed.

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